Split down the middle
by DarkWings991
Summary: Not sure about rating for now. This is a fight between yugi and co, from Tea's point of view.
1. Losing grip

Just a teen, ordinary looking and lacking amazing talent. That's about all you could describe me as, or at least at first glance. I constantly wondered about my dream of dancing in front of hundreds of people, but I couldn't picture it. I was never good enough.

I wasn't very pretty, short brown hair, tan skin, and blue eyes.

I found myself hiding my sadness from my friends often. If they knew how I felt, they'd go out of their way to make me feel better even if I wasted their time.

The guy I loved never noticed me. He was tall, had brown hair, and deep blue eyes. He could be a jerk, but that was the thrill, I thought I could change him.

But I found out I couldn't. I had no control over anything in my life. I was foolish to think I could ever make my own decisions.

"Hey Tea!" Yugi called, I had been taking a walk in the park and ran into him.

Yugi was really nice, I envied him a lot. Even though he had become number one duelist, he hadn't forgotten about his friends or become cold.

"Hi Yugi." I smiled at him trying to look happy.

Even though Yugi was kind and gentle, even though we had been friends for a long time, I found myself thinking that I hated him. Just being around him was enough to make you feel third rate.

"How are you doing?" He looked a little nervous, but he had been uncomfortable around me ever since my crush on Yami.

"Good, no great. Never felt better. How are you?"

"Uh… Same… So, what's up?" He tried to look sincerely happy to see me, but I was pretty sure he knew how I felt about him and he was terrified.

"I was just taking a walk." I had hoped he'd take a hint and leave.

"Oh, uh… Can I walk with you?" He smiled nervously.

I wanted so badly to scream, "No! Go away!" and start crying, but I didn't, "Sure, Yugi. How's your grandpa been?"

"Grandpa? Oh, you know him. Just the same as always."

I didn't doubt everything was well for him; things were great for people as talented and famous as him. But I went unnoticed.

"That's good." We went on walking for about a mile making small talk until it started to get late and he left.

On the way home I found myself mumbling, "Stupid Yugi…He'll never understand what it's like to feel like I do… Tristan and Joey don't even have a clue."

Begging for FF,

Hi guys, sorry about my last fic, I found myself in different moods, and I just can't write that sappy anymore. I would do more, but oh well. Anyway, this new fiction is based about the gang, and how they almost split up. I don't really know where it would fit in, in the show, so don't ask. My teacher was nice enough to let me write this during class, so there's not much yet. Enjoy. BTW: Not a happy, 'omg, friendship!' story, it just happens to be from Tea's point of view.


	2. The lost and loved

I woke up the next morning feeling tired of it all, and since it was Saturday, I had nothing to do. I decided to spend the day at the mall.

I was browsing random shops for a while, and passing by the food court, I saw Joey, and he saw me.

"Tea! Come 'ere a minute will ya?" He actually looked happy to see me.

I smiled and sat down across from him, turning down the fries drowned in some unrecognizable substance, "Hey Joey, what's up?"

"I got DDR for the play station, you wanna come over and go a few rounds?" He grinned at the chance to beat me. (a/n: no, I don't own DDR or the PS, so don't sue me for it. Plus, I dunno if it is for PS or PS2, because I don't play…)

I smiled, actually smiled for the first time in a long while, "That'd be fun… Is anyone else going to be there?"

"Nah, we'll be all alone… Unless that's a problem…" He shifted, "It's not like a DATE or somethin'…"

"No, it's not a problem," I grinned ear to ear, "Not a problem at all."

"Great." Maybe Joey wasn't so bad after all…

We spent more and more time alone after that day, he actually became my boyfriend shortly after I gave up on the Seto Kaiba idea, I wasn't enough for him either. But I finally gave in around Joey, and let the pieces fall into place.

I was crying on my bed, hoping no one would come in and see me, but alas, Joey had found his way in, and was sitting next to me in seconds, "'Ey, what's wrong?"

I tried to turn away, but he grabbed me. I sighed, trying to regain myself, and smiled for him half-heartedly, "Nothing's wrong," I laughed, "Just crocodile tears."

"Tea…"

"Joe… Is it okay? I mean, if I tell you, you won't be mad?"

"Tea, I couldn't be mad at you… Not even if I wanted to."

"I…" I was at a loss for words to explain this feeling for a while, "I think I hate Yugi."

His head perked up and he looked at me as if I was crazy, "What?"

"I hate Yugi. Completely despise him. He's always going to be better then me. I never thought I'd feel this jealous if one of my friends made it big and didn't have as much time for me, but I do. I'm never going to dance on that stage, despite how hard I try, but all Yugi had to do was get lucky, and now he has it all…" I started to cry again, and he rocked me back and forth in his arms for what felt like an eternity.

When I finally stopped crying, he pushed me away for a moment and looked me over, "So… You hate Yugi because he's better then you, and you feel he thinks he's too good for you?"

"It's not quite that but… I don't know what… You're not mad I hate your best friend, are you?"

He laughed uncomfortably, "Of course not… I'm just surprised a little, is all. You two were pretty good friends, but now…"

"I-I know I shouldn't feel this way, I barely even know why I do… It's just…" I wasn't sure where I was going with this.

"I know…" I was sure he didn't, but that was okay.

I hugged him, "Thanks Joey, talking makes me feel a little better."

He pulled me up to my feet, "Great, why don't you go wash up and we can go out and get pizza. Food fixes all." And with that, he flashed me his famous drool face, smile.

After that, I knew I loved him, I never gave another thought to Kaiba. It had been two months since I said I hated Yugi when I finally talked to him again.

The phone rang slowly and I picked up to hear the only voice I didn't want to hear.

Dun, dun, duuuuuun! Who could it be? I didn't already say, of course not! Oooooh, thanks if you're reading this, and please, no Tea bashing, even if I don't care for her myself. XD

-DW


	3. That lonely voice

"Hello? Tea is that you?" It was Yugi.

"Yes…" It occurred to me that he was unaware of my feelings unless Joey had told him.

"Great! Tea… It feels like I haven't talked to you in three months. Are you mad at me?"

I had another urge to yell obsenities, but I found myself only half as angry as I was before, and barely able to recall why I had been mad, "Oh, no. I've been really busy lately."

"Oh, that's good, I knew Joey was just being paranoid when he said…"

I hung up, Joey had told. I wasn't entirely sure why, but it seemed like a bad thing, and I no longer wanted to make up with Yugi. Tears filled my eyes for a reason I couldn't explain and the phone rang again, I assumed it was Yugi and picked up quickly, "Go away Yugi!"

"Yugi? Awright, what did he do now?" The voice wasn't Yugi's, it was Joey's.

I dried my eyes quickly and answered, "Oh… It's you Joey. Sorry, I-I thought…"

"What did the little freak do?" I had never heard Joey insult Yugi like that after they had become best friends, and it surprised me.

"Y-yugi didn't do anything, I just woke up from a nap and he was in my dream… Did you want something?" I wasn't sure that was a very smooth lie, but it didn't matter.

He dropped the matter, "Uh, yeah, but I forgot what it was, I'll come over and see if I can remember."

"Okay." I hung up and waited for him to show up.

Someone knocked on the door, and I opened it, but to my surprise, it wasn't Joey, but Tristan.

He had a bouquet of flowers and was wearing a tux. He smiled really big, "Hey Tea."

"Uh… Tristan?" I wasn't expecting him, and I had already promised myself to Joey, but overall, I was neutral as far as Tristan himself.

He cleared his throat, "I was wondering if you were busy tonite…?"

"Well, actually…" Joey walked up then, at the most inconvenient moment and I stopped mid-sentence.

Joey eyed me suspiciously, "What are you doing?" He stared at Tristan, "Is there something you're not telling me?"

I stared wide eyed at both of them, "No, no! This-this isn't…"

"I can't believe you Tea!" Joey looked hurt, but I hadn't even done anything. He ran off full speed looking like he'd never talk to me again.

Tristan who had been quiet for the past few minutes, spoke up, "Er… So anyway, are you busy?"

I felt like beating him to a bloody pulp, but I decided to let out my anger another way, "Yes…" I said through clenched teeth, "I am QUITE busy, really."

He took a few steps back, "O-kay then… I'll… uh, just go…" He ran off too, and I was suddenly very alone.

Wow, two chapters! Sorry they're so short, I wrote both in school today during LA class, my teacher's so nice. I don't really have much else to say so…. Thanks for reading, chao!

-DW


	4. You loved?

Ooook, sorry for lack of updates, I HAD midterms coming up … Hehe, but anyway… I've barely got any reviews! I'm not going to bother to try and write as much, and I'll spend more time studying if j00 don't tell me how I'm doing. I'm actually serious about this one, unlike my first; I had to deal with a virus so sue me. XD… Anyway, on with the story.

* * *

I fell asleep on the couch after crying for a while and woke up late the next day.

"Noon already?" I got up and dressed, and seeing nothing else to do, turned on the TV and watched the news for a while.

It wasn't much later that the doorbell rung and I got up to see who it was, as it seemed the whole world decided to hate me yesterday. It was Yugi again.

"Hey, uh… can I come in?" He looked innocent enough, so I let him in.

"What's up Yugi?"

"Oh well, you uh…hung up on me last night… Are you ok?"

I sniffled, "Uhh… Yeah. I'm okay. How've you been?"

"Uh… Fine. Gramps is good too, but I think he's confused as to why we're fighting… Why are we fighting?"

I sighed, "I don't know… I've just been so messed up lately. Oh yeah, Joey dumped me yesterday…"

"Yeah, I heard. He seemed upset, what happened?"

"Nothing, I didn't do anything. Tristan showed up yesterday and asked me out, and I had already invited Joey over… Why does the world hate me?"

"Why do you hate the world?" Newsflash, Yugi had just taken the offence, "What's up Tea? Really, I'm still here for you, whether you want me to be or not."

"Yugi… I, I just… I don't know. You had it all, and I had nothing. I still have nothing. And now you guys hate me. What am I supposed to do?"

"Well, I'm sorry… I didn't mean to make you feel lesser like this, I guess, I guess I should have been more open minded, but my whole life is revolving around saving you guys now, you have to understand. As for fixing it, you could start with an apology, call Tristan and explain Joey, call Joey and explain the whole ordeal, and we could go all 4 of us out for ice-cream to seal the deal."

I half smiled, "Yeah, okay… I'm sorry Yugi, I'm an insensitive freak." I giggled a little, "Forgive me?"

"Sure." He changed the channel and left me for the phone calls.

I picked up the phone and started with Tristan, "Hey Tristan?"

"Yeah?"

"Um… Sorry about yesterday, I just… I dunno…"

"Oh, yeah… I guess that was mostly my fault… Hey, Yugi's not home, do you know where he is or are you guys still fighting?"

"Uhh…Actually, he's right here. He wanted to know if you wanted to go for ice cream with us like old times."

"Man, that'd be awesome. Is Joey coming too?"

"I don't know yet… I'm going to call him."

"Alright, bye."

"Bye," I hung up the phone and dialed Joey's number by memory.

"Hello?" He didn't seem happy to pick up to my number, he had caller id.

"Hi Joey…" I wasn't actually sure what to say here, I had a lot more attachment to Joey, and if I screwed up, I might never talk to him again.

"What's up?"

"Uhh… About yesterday, it wasn't my fault, I swear. Don't hang up. Please. Joey, Tristan came over yesterday by his own free will, an odd idea. He didn't know we were… You know. And…" I was a little embarrassed because Yugi could hear everything I was saying.

"And…?"

"I love you. Yugi's here with me, and the gang wants to go out for ice cream, for old time's sake, you don't even have to forgive me, be there for Yugi."

I heard him sigh on the over side of the line, "Yeah sure, I'll be there. Our usual place?"

"Yeah," The doorbell rung, "Hold on, that's Tristan, Yugi, can you get it?"

Yugi jumped up, "Sure thing…" He dealt with his welcomes and stuff.

I put my mouth back up to the mouth piece, "Okay, sorry about that. Meet us there?"

"Yeah."

"Promise?"

"Yes, I'll be there okay? Bye…"

"Bye Joey." I giggled a little, at least Tristan hadn't heard the whole thing, and put the phone back on the hook. "He'll meet us there, come on guys."

Tristan sighed, "No Serenity?"

I giggled again, she had dumped him recently, but he hadn't told anyone why, "No, not that I know of."

"Man…"

We got outside and went out to the closest ice cream parlor, Bob's Ice cream.

I looked in the window, Joey already had a table for us, and I didn't even want to know how he had gotten there so fast. We walked in, ordered, and sat down with Joey.

I looked him over completely, he looked like he had been in the dumps since last night, but I couldn't read through to see if he wanted me there or not, so I took the leap, "Hi Joey."

"Hey, what took you guys so long?" He smirked at Yugi and Tristan, but refused to meet my eyes.

I stared and stared, so nervous about not knowing whether he still loved me. It wasn't all Tristan's fault, as much as I wanted to blame it all on him. It wasn't right of me to be so selfish about Yugi, and to completely ignore Tristan. I didn't know if I could stomach food right then, to tell the truth.

Joey's eyes finally rested his eyes on me, but it wasn't that loving, accepting look he had before. His eyes were piercing right through me. I thought I was going to cry, "What?" I managed to gasp out.

"We haven't ordered anything yet." I almost fell out of the booth. That was all he had to say!

I smiled, "Oh, of course. I'll get it all, what do you all want?" I quickly dealt with the orders, and upon returning to the table, I just gulped down the bowl in front of me and excused myself for a breath of air.

I stayed out there, barely holding back the tears; I had nothing to say to any of them, I didn't deserve to be there at all. But someone came out to comfort me, but of course, not who I wanted at the time.

Tristan walked out slowly and put his arm around my shoulders in a friendly way, "I'm sorry… This was…"

"No. You didn't do anything. You were innocent because you didn't know."

"But Joey's still stiff, and it's not right of him to be. Isn't there anything I can do?"

"No… Not anymore then I could help you with Serenity. This was bound to happen. I was selfish… selfish and wrong." I stared up at him, "I should be apologizing."

"For what?" He was confused. His face read it heavily.

Just then Joey commented, he had apparently been listening, "Nothing. Maybe you were a little selfish, but Tristan's right. I thought I had lost the most important thing to me…"

I turned and grabbed his arm, lifted his sleeve, and it was as I thought. I looked up, and I was crying now, "Joey… You shouldn't… Joey you dummie!" I tossed myself into his arms, completely horrified. (note: if you don't know, please don't ask)

He looked down, his hair hiding his eyes, "Yeah, I know…"

He let me go, "Joey, I should be apologizing. This is all my fault, I turned you against Yugi, and I was so selfish about how strong Yugi is. I made you mad at Tristan too… I almost made all of us split up. I've always been this selfish. I wanted it all; I used to love Yami and Seto… Do I even care about you? I might have some hidden plot to use you; you might want to watch out…"

"Tea…" Yugi had walked out and had been eaves dropping too, this was getting annoying. "Tea, I'm sorry too… I was so… I loved…"

* * *

Omg, what COULD Yugi be wanting to say! is still blandly obvious Hehe, well… I'm trying to get stuff written today, because I've got a four day weekend, so hopefully I'll get two more chapters up by Tuesday. -;; 


	5. Seto Kaiba?

listening to techno music and dancing Woo! XD Okay yeah… I should write. ;

* * *

"I loved you…" Yugi's face turned red, "Ever since we met, and you kept the bullies at bay…" He realized I was looking at him funny, "N-not anymore, I mean. You're just one of my three best friends!"

I just smiled, "I understand…."

Tristan popped his head up, "Tea, you and Joey belong together, I'm sorry, if I knew I wouldn't have…"

"It's alright." I slid my arms comfortably around Joey and rocked back and fourth.

Joey looked at Yugi and Tristan, "Since things are better now, I guess Yugi and Tristan are my best friends again. This is the coolest day of my life…"

Tristan looked sullen, "Yeah, for you…"

Joey looked over at Tristan, "You have official permission to date my little sister, but… Don't hurt her again. What happened?"

Tristan looked off into space, "That's the thing, I don't know! One day she was all happy to be with me, and then the next she said she was going off to be with Seto Kaiba. It's really got me confused, and I don't know if I have anything to apologize about."

Joey made a face, "Seto Kaiba? I haven't heard her say anything about him…"

Tristan stared at his feet as if they held the answers he sought, "I tried talking to her and everything, man. She's totally smitten with the guy."

Yugi spoke up again, "I've heard a lot of girls have fallen for Kaiba lately… It seems to be a fad."

I just casually slipped back into the conversation, "I used to like Kaiba too. It's normal, and… He_is_ rich."

I had liked a lot of guys before… It almost made me feel slutty. Hehe, but it was just hormones I guess. I'm more stable now… Augh, stop thinking about weird things and concentrate on Serenity!

"But…" I started, "I'd be happy to talk to Serenity and see what's up."

Tristan hugged me looking like he was about to cry, "Would you? Thank you! I can feel her warm body against mi…"

Joey punched Tristan, "Don't want a nasty picture in my mind, Tristan… Anyway, the sooner the better, go Tea!"

I smiled, "Yeah!" I ran off to find Serenity in a fury.

I found her in her bedroom on her bed with a spiral that said 'My Journal, no peeking' on the front. I giggled a little as I walked in, "Hey Serenity, what are you writing about? Or perhaps, who?"

She looked at me like she barely recognized me, and spent a minute apparently racking her brain as to who I was, when she finally spoke, it sounded odd, "Oh, hello… Tea…"

"Yeah," I smiled, "What's that?"

She looked down into her hands, as if she herself was unsure, "Oh… My journal…"

I giggled, "Apparently. Can I see what you're writing?" I tried to peek, but she jerked away in an unnatural motion.

"No…" Her face was completely empty, "It's…private."

I frowned and sat down with her on her bed as she put the journal down, "So… I hear you're into Seto Kaiba lately. Can I get the scoop?"

Serenity still looked like she was off in some other world, "Oh, Seto… Seto's wonderful… I talked to him… I love Seto."

This was the point at which, although I understood her feelings, I got very creeped out about how she was acting, "Have you not been getting much sleep lately, Serenity?"

Serenity tried to smile, "Oh… Yes, I've been… Tired… I think I'll go to sleep now." She walked me out of the room with jerky footwork.

I was completely confused, it was unlike Serenity to be this rude, and for that matter, to take a nap in the middle of the day. I knew there was something up more then just a lack of sleep, but I wasn't sure exactly what. I put my ear up to her door but I couldn't hear anything.

Slowly and silently I opened the door a crack and muffled a gasp.

* * *

Two in one day, doing well, eh? XD This chapter's a little short and under-par, but I wanted to leave suspense… I have a plan with which I shall drag this on FOREVER evil laughter… Okay, well, for a while longer then I originally planned. 


End file.
